How to Use Beam, Plate and Shell Elements
Author | : Trevor Hellen |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 98 |
Release | : 2006 |
ISBN-10 | : OCLC:1131871098 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 (98 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: The main purpose of this book is to describe the essentials of how beam, plate and shell elements work and perform in actual use. An important theme is how they offer an efficient alternative compared to using 3D continuum elements, which are nowadays readily generated from modern CAD packages, often in large numbers. Emphasis is placed on the more commonly used elements from these families, and which are available in commercial software. Many finite element users today do not have the opportunity to learn much of the underlining theory, which often inhibits their instincts into how well these elements perform, and how suitable meshes of these elements should be designed. This booklet is intended to fill in these gaps concerning the practicalities, but in order to economize on both complexity and volume, theoretical aspects are kept to a minimum. The discussions and presentation of finite element theory involved are aimed at the level of the graduate in engineering or a related discipline, who is one year into a professional engineering career, but with a wide audience of practising and potential finite element users also in mind. Some basic knowledge of the finite element method is assumed.